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2017 Shakespeare Competition Winner

Congratulations to the 2017 ESU Monmouth County NJ Branch Shakespeare Winner, Samantha Siriani, from Red Bank Catholic School and her teacher, Mary King. Good luck at the National Competition in New York City!

Events 2016 / 2017

Friday, December 2nd, 2016Dinner at 6:00pm Our Annual Christmas Party at Rumson Country Club starting with cocktails at 6:00pm.To reserve a seat, send your check for $75 per guest to
The ESU, Monmouth County Branch
P.O. Box 27 Rumson, New Jersey 07760
Contact: Ralph Wyndrum
at 732 219-0005

Sunday, December 4th,
Theater party to see The Lion in Winter at the Two River Theater, 3 pm performance. Limited tickets available at $49.

Sunday, February 19th

A talk on English gardens at 3 pm

by art historian Magda Salvesen.

Additional events for May and June will be announced when the schedule is firm.

Page Scholar, Andrew Nowak, Is Hosted By The Monmouth County New Jersey Branch

Andrew Nowak makes a strong impression as a young man dedicated to finding and implementing improvements in the education of students on the autism spectrum. As such, he was awarded a Walter Hines Page Scholarship by the British ESU for further study of this field in the U.S., and he elected to visit Monmouth County New Jersey where members of The English-Speaking Union were pleased to host him.

On February 28th, a dozen high school students each took the stage at the Middletown Arts Center and, without scenery, costumes or props, brought Shakespeare's words to life. Each had practiced and prepared, each had studied and rehearsed, and all of them performed wonderfully. It was the 25th annual Shakespeare Competition for high school students sponsored by the Monmouth County Branch of the English-Speaking Union, and the stakes were high. The winner will go on to a national competition at Lincoln Center in New York on April 26 - 28, where the top prize will include an all-expenses paid trip to study acting in England.

Despite the competition, the atmosphere among the students was mutually supportive. Their audience included teachers, parents, and members of the ESU, as well as five theater professionals who served as expert judges. Each student presented a sonnet and a short monologue.

Third place, and a cash award, went to Lauren Pelaia from Colts Neck High School for her impassioned Hamlet, berating himself that he could not summon up as much emotion as a mere actor. Second place was taken by Patrick Monaghan from Red Bank Regional, whose intelligent Hal from Henry V was by turns humorous and furious. Honorable mention goes to Guy Rose, from Middletown North, for his outraged Edmund from King Lear, and Jess Fisher, from Middletown South, for her charming Rosalind from As You Like It.

First place went to Naomi Stuart of Glen Ridge High School, whose delightful Phoebe from As You Like It wavers between maidenly circumspection and full-hearted celebration of her youthful crush on the handsome young Ganymede. What she doesn't know is that her heart-throb is actually a woman, Rosalind, disguised as a man.

Naomi will enter the National competition in May, but you needn't go so far nor wait so long to see her. She, Patrick, and Lauren will repeat their performances at Bingham Hall in Rumson, on April 12th at 3 pm, when the ESU will host a Spring Tea, open to the public. An added attraction: this year's tea has a Downton Abbey theme; period costumes will be modeled at the event. Join us there for refreshments and to see these excellent young people act! For details contact the branch president, Richard Biernacki, at monmouthesupres@verizon.net